ZDF Studios Boards Death in Benidorm

ZDF Studios is set to serve as the international distributor on Death in Benidorm (w.t.), a new detective drama from Blackbox Multimedia and Clapperboard for 5 in the U.K. that is filming on location in Spain for a 2026 launch.

John Hannah (The Last of Us, Black Mirror, Four Weddings and a Funeral) leads the cast as Dennis, a former U.K. detective-turned-bar owner in Benidorm who gets drawn back into his former profession when tourists start showing up dead. Other cast members include Carolina Bécquer, Ariadna Cabrol and Damian Schedler Cruz.

Greg Barnett, commissioning editor at 5, ordered the series, which is co-produced by Blackbox Multimedia and Clapperboard, with ZDF Studios distributing.

“I am thrilled to have John Hannah on board,” Barnett said. “He’s absolutely perfect for the role of Dennis—a character with sharp intellect, dry wit and life experience—and from what I’ve seen already, viewers will fall in love with him.”

Viviane Richard, associate producer of the series at ZDF Studios, said: “Death in Benidorm is such a witty and charming addition to the cozy crime genre, and John Hannah truly encapsulates this. We’re thrilled to be working with Blackbox to bring these sharply written scripts to life and we can’t wait to share it with audiences around the world.”